As shown in FIG. 1, a one-way roller clutch of the prior art is composed of a drive member 1 which is provided at one end thereof with a shaft 2 of a smaller diameter, a connection member 3 having a round hole 4 which is provided in the inner wall thereof with a plurality of rolling column slots 5. The shaft 2 of the drive member 1 is received in the round hole 4 of the connection member 3. A rolling column 6 and a spring 7 are located in the space defined by the rolling column slots 5 and the shaft 2, as shown in FIG. 2. The spring 7 is intended to provide an elastic force for pushing the rolling columns 6 toward the narrow ends of the rolling column slots 5.
When the drive member 1 is turned counterclockwise in relation to the connection member 3, each rolling column 6 is actuated to move towards the narrow end of the rolling column slot S such that the rolling column 6 is retained between the rolling column slot 5 and the shaft 2, so as to prevent the drive member 2 and the connection member 3 from turning in relation to each other. In other words, the connection member 3 turns along with the drive member 1. When the drive member 1 is actuated to rotate clockwise in relation to the connection member 3, each rolling column 5 is actuated to move towards the wider end of the rolling column slot 5. As a result, no retaining action is brought about. The connection member 3 does not rotate along with the drive member 1. The drive member 1 is thus capable of a one-way drive of the connection member 3.
The finishing of the rolling column slot 5 of the one-way roller clutch of the prior art described above involves the formation of a round hole (a) in the closed end of the connection member 3, as shown in FIG. 3. The round hole (a) is then provided in the inner wall thereof with a plurality of recesses (b) by cutter turning, as shown in FIG. 3B. The recesses (b) are then machined by broach to form the rolling column slot 5 of a progressively open shape, as shown in FIG. 3C, for disposing respectively the rolling column 6 and the spring 7. It is therefore readily apparent that the process of making the one-way roller clutch of the prior art is excessively complicated, and that the rejection rate of the one-way roller clutch of the prior art is high, and further that the one-way roller clutch of the prior art is not cost-effective.